Device readily attachable to a shelf or the like for forming a shelf extension or tray



Dec. 1966 H. J. MARSCHAK 3,289,615

DEVICE READILY ATTACHABLE TO A SHELF OR THE LIKE FOR FORMING A SHELF EXTENSION OR TRAY Filed June 21, 1965 N VE N TOR. Howard J. Marachak;

United States Patent 3,289,615 DEVICE READILY ATTACHABLE TO A SHELF OR THE LIKE FOR FORMING A SHELF EXTENSION 0R TRAY Howard J. Marschak, 855 W. North Ave., Evanston, Ill. Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,525 2 Claims. (Cl. 108--97) This invention relates to a device readily attachable to a shelf or the like for forming a shelf extension or tray for providing additional shelf space.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device or structure which may be readily attached to a shelf or the like and which forms a shelf or tray extension forwardly of the shelf to which it is attached.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure of the foregoing character which is formed of relatively few parts and consists essentially of two side frame members and a tray. The side frame members are each integrally formed and serve as the clamping means for attachment to the shelf as well as the support for the tray. The simplicity of the structure is an important feature of this invention as by virtue of same economies in production are possible, thereby providing a shelf extender which may be economically produced.

Another object of this invention is to provide a struc ture which may be readily attached to a shelf or the like on which goods, cans, and other products are supported and in which the structure has a tray or shelf extension portion which is positioned below the plane of the shelf to which it is attached, and wherein the tray is positioned in such a manner that it will not interfere with the removal of merchandise from the shelf and which will not reduce the capacity of the shelf by reason of such attachment.

This invention may be readily attached to any conventional shelf found in stores, even while the goods are positioned on such shelf, and the attachment will not interfere with the goods on the shelf nor will it reduce the capacity of the shelf. The device provides a tray or an extended shelf in front of the shelf to which it is attached, but on a lower plane, permitting the display and storing thereon of additional products, and wherein the purchaser may readily remove products stored on both the shelf and the accessory tray without interfering with either one or the other.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment to a shelf which provides additional shelf space and which positions the accessory shelf below the plane of the shelf to which it is attached. A plurality of such accessory shelves may be attached to a plurality of shelves in a single tier, thereby providing a plurality of main spaced shelves and intermediately positioned accessory shelves positioned forwardly of the main shelves.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing same attached to a shelf or the like.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

The invention forming the subject matter of this ap plication is adapted to be attached to a shelf, with the tray portion positioned adjacent the front of the shelf so that, in effect, it provides a tray which supports goods or products forwardly of the shelf and in a stepped-down relationship with respect to the plane of the shelf so as not to interfere with the goods or products stored on the shelf.

The unit is formed to include a pair of spaced identically shaped and formed side frame members which are shaped or formed preferably of a substantially rigid wire 3,289,615 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 or like construction. Said side frame members are generally iindentified by the numeral 10. Each said side frame member 10, as shown, is preshaped and, starting from the rear, comprises an upper horizontal rear section 12 having a generally inverted U-shaped raised section 14 which continues downwardly in a vertical plane to form upper vertical intermediate section 116, then continues forwardly in a horizontal plane to form upper front section 18, then is bent downwardly and slightly forwardly at an inclined angle to form front end section 20, and then is reversely bent in a horizontal plane to form lower front section 22, which section is parallel to upper front section 18 but below and spaced from said section. The wire then continues and is bent upwardly to form lower vertical intermediate section 24 and is then bent outwardly in a horizontal plane to form lower horizontal rear section 26. The lower vertical section 24 is on the same vertical plane generally as upper vertical section 16, and the lower horizontal rear section 26 is parallel to upper horizontal rear section 12 but spaced below same.

The exposed end of upper rear section 12 is covered by a rubber or resilient cap or covering 28. The lower horizontal section 26 has welded to it, as at 30, a metal strip 32 which extends rearwardly of section 26. Strip 32 is shaped to provide an internally threaded bore or opening 34 which is adapted to threadedly receive a screw member 36. The member 32 may be a nut which is welded to the end 26 or it may be a strip, as described. Its only purpose is to form a support for the vertically positioned screw member 36 so that the screw member may be ad justed or rotatably supported with respect thereto. The upper end of the screw member 36 is covered by a rubber or resilient cap or covering 38 and the lower end of the screw is provided with a finger engaging member 40 which is manually engaged for rotating the screw 36.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the two aforementioned side frame members 10 form the opposite sides of the device and are spaced from each other by the body of the tray. The body of the tray is formed of a bottom wall 42 with a front upturned wall 44 and a spaced upturned rear wall 46. As shown, the tray body is formed of a solid metal material, however, it will be understood that in lieu thereof the tray body may be formed of a wire meshing or the like.

As shown, there is secured as by rivets 481, a plurality of spaced metal strips 50. These strips extend outwardly from the sides of the body of the tray adjacent the front and rear of the bottom wall and are provided with a curved or generally U-shaped end 52, which end engages the lower horizontal section 22 and which is welded thereto as at 54. This secures the metal tray body to the spaced wire frame members 10.

The front wall 44 has the same angle of inclination as section 20 of the side frame. The upturned rear Wall 46 of the body of the tray has riveted to it, as at 56, at its opposite ends, metal strips 58 which extend outwardly of the sides of the rear wall. The strip has a generally U- shaped end 60 which is welded as at 62 to the lower end of the upper vertical section 16.

The rear wall 46 of the body of the tray is in substantially the same vertical plane as the upper and lower vertical sections 16 and 24 of the wire frame members 10. The opposite sides of the tray are shown open between the upper and lower horizontal front sections 18 and 22, however, they may be closed by suitable walls if desired.

The unit described may be readily attached to any shelf, and the purpose is to make the attachment to said shelf adjacent the front thereof so that the tray of the present invention extends forwardly of the shelf and in a lower plane than the plane of the shelf. The attachment i such that it does not interfere with the goods or products stored on the shelf nor does it reduce the size or capacity of the shelf. Further, it does not interfere or hamper the customer when removing the goods or products stored on the shelf. What this invention does is to provide, in effect, additional shelf space for the storage and display of merchandise without in any way interfering with the shelf area or shelf capacity.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the unit is readily attachable to a conventional shelf, which has been generally indicated by the numeral 62. The conventional shelf 62 is provided with a downturned front wall 64 which terminates in a rearwardly extending flange 66. The device forming the invention is positioned as shown in FIG. 2, with the upper vertical section 16 of the side frame resting against the front wall 64 of the shelf and the upper rear horizontal section 12 of the side frame resting on the horizontal shelf 62. The lower horizontal rear section 26 of the frame is positioned below the plane of the flange 66 of the shelf. To secure the device to the shelf it is only necessary to rotate the screw 36 by the finger engaging member 40 to advance the screw upwardly until the rubber tip 38 on the screw member engages the underside of the shelf 62. With two such locking means, one at each of the opposite ends of the device, the tray unit is firmly supported on the shelf and is locked in position. There is no possibility of the tray becoming disengaged from the shelf until such time that the screw 36 is rotated to lower the screw member.

While a particular shelf shape has been described, it will be understood that the invention herein may be attached to any shape or configuration of shelf. It is not necessary that the shelf have a front wall 64, although almost all shelves have front walls, be it a small flange or a front wall surface, and the upper vertical section 16 of the frame can rest therea-gainst.

The device herein when attached to a shelf positions the tray portion below the plane of the shelf to which it is attached. The tray portion wiil therefore be positioned above the plane of a shelf positioned below shelf 62, but it will not interfere with the removal of goods or products from the lower shelf. Thus, in a plurality of conventionally spaced main shelves in a single tier the devices of this invention can be secured to each of said shelves in the tier without interfering with the removal of the goods from the shelves, yet increasing the shelf space to a considerable degree. The accessory trays of this invention when attached to a tier of conventional main shelves form in effect additional intermediate spaced shelves, same being positioned forwardly of the main shelves but in planes intermediate of the main shelves.

The simplicity of the structure is readily apparent from the foregoing. The device consists essentially of two side frame members 10 and the tray. The side frame members serve a twofold function, namely, they serve as the clamping means whereby the device is attached to the shelf and they serve to support the tray. By the reason of this simplified structure great economies may be effected in the production and marketing of this device.

The device of this invention is detachably secured to a main shelf, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and may be readily stored when not in use.

It will he understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising, a pair of spaced side frame members, each integrally formed of a substantially rigid wire or the like and each shaped to provide a pair of spaced upper and lower rear horizontal sections parallel to each other, upper and lower vertical intermediate sections in substantially the same vertical plane forwardly of the rear sections, a pair of spaced upper and lower front horizontal sections parallel to each other and extending forwardly of the intermediate vertical sections and a front end section between the spaced upper and lower front horizontal sections, a tray secured to said front sections and supported between said spaced side frame members, said rear sections having means engaging a shelf for securing said device to the shelf so that the tray extends forwardly of the shelf.

2. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the upper and lower front horizontal sections are positioned respectively below the plane of the rear upper and lower horizontal sections and in which the tray is positioned in a plane below the top of the shelf to which the device is secured.

References Cited by the Examiner FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Acting Primary Examiner. FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, EACH INTEGRALLY FORMED OF A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID WIRE OR THE LIKE AND EACH SHAPED TO PROVIDE A PAIR OF SPACED UPPER AND LOWER REAR HORIZONTAL SECTIONS PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER, UPPER AND LOWER VERTICAL INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE FORWARDLY OF THE REAR SECTIONS, A PAIR OF SPACED UPPER AND LOWER FRONT HORIZONTAL SECTIONS PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND EXTENDIG FORWARDLY OF THE INTERMEDIATE VERTICAL SECTIONS AND A FRONT END SECTION BETWEEN THE SPACED UPPER AND LOWER FRONT HORIZONTAL SECTIONS, A TRAY SECURED TO SAID FRONT SECTIONS AND SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID SPACED SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, SAID REAR SECTIONS HAVING MEANS ENGAGING A SHELF FOR SECURING SAID DEVICE TO THE SHELF SO THAT THE TRAY EXTENDS FORWARDLY OF THE SHELF. 